


You Taste of Tequila

by milk_honey, trashxnebula



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Allura and Lance are Cousins, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bilingual Lance (Voltron), Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Cuban Lance (Voltron), Drama & Romance, F/M, Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Fluff and Angst, Gay Keith (Voltron), Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, M/M, Misunderstandings, Only in the first chapter, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Shiro and Keith are Stepbrothers, Silly AU, Wedding Fluff, shallura wedding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-21
Updated: 2018-05-30
Packaged: 2018-11-17 01:05:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11264766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/milk_honey/pseuds/milk_honey, https://archiveofourown.org/users/trashxnebula/pseuds/trashxnebula
Summary: Keith’s never been the type of guy who has lasting relationships, unlike his brother who’s now getting married to the girl he met back in college. After being offered to be set up by Allura with one of her cousins' at the wedding reception, Keith does his best to avoid her at all cost, having to settle for the company of an irritating but kind of attractive stranger.It's funny how life works, though...(or more like a headcanon that started as "Keith never thought he’d end up falling for his sister-in-law’s annoying yet handsome cousin at his brother’s wedding")





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hey!! We hope you like this! Also heads up to [Pau (@trashxnebula)](http://archiveofourown.org/users/trashxnebula) bc she wrote the whole prologue herself and I did absolutely nothing....  
> \--Lulu
> 
> So this thing came to be as a silly headcanon of mine. Thanks Lulu for encouraging me to write and for doing this with me. It'd still be sitting in my notes if it wasn't for u<3<3<3  
> \--Paula

The afternoon sky had turned darker as the hours had gone by, and, with the crashing rain getting denser by the second, people had been forced to turn on the lights around their apartments before the clock had even marked nighttime. The cold and humid February weather had started to kick in ferociously, locking in all local residents until further notice.

Helping out his brother and future sister-in-law with the plans for their wedding had not been how Keith had expected to enjoy his Friday afternoon and night, but he hadn’t had anything better to do either. He had made plans to meet up with Pidge that day to play video games and eat pizza at his place, but she had ended up canceling last minute for whatever reason she hadn't cared to explain.

He was sure Shiro had only invited him over so he wouldn’t be alone in his shitty apartment, not because he could actually provide any helpful input on the matter.

“Are you guys planning to move out once you marry?” asked Keith, staring at the ceiling as he laid on the couch, lazily running his hand over the black cat snuggled up on his stomach. “Like, have you met up with realtors and stuff?”

He _had_ ended up being of assistance in the end, even if only a little. The big event was only four months away; it was unbelievable how many things there still had to be done. However, the day was now dying out and so was his will to look at any more variety of cloth napkins that were about the same color. He couldn't even begin to image how Shiro had the patience to do things like this; Keith already had a headache.

“Why?” inquired Allura, letting out a small laugh from her spot on the floor as she looked through samples of tablecloths. “You’re going to ask again if you can have it, aren’t you?”

“No...”

Shiro entered the living room just then, two cold beers in hand. “For the hundredth time, Keith, you're not getting the apartment,” he gave one to Allura before sitting down across from her. “We’re selling it.”

“Oh, come on! It has the perfect walking distance to the university!" he exclaimed, indignant at his brother's words. "Besides, it’d be nice to not live in a complete dumpster for a change.”

Shiro took a sip of his drink. “Only if you’re willing to pay me for it.”

“Dude, I’m your brother!” protested the boy. “You know, it’s funny how you claim that wanna sell this place and yet I haven’t even _once_ heard you talking about any future dwellings. Where are you gonna live after you come back from your honeymoon?”

The couple stayed silent exchanging looks, and Keith thought for a moment that he might have finally won an argument with his brother until Shiro spoke again.

“Allura’s dad already offered us a place...” he tried out, letting the statement roll out of his tongue for the first time. Keith turned to look at him with surprised eyes. Shiro went on, “Kind of an early wedding present. It’s a bit bigger than this one, in a really nice spot Uptown.”

“Oh, woah… That’s- that’s great! I’m happy for you guys,” was all the congratulation Keith could manage. It’s not that he wasn’t thrilled at the announcement and the idea of his brother starting his married life with some literal ground for support, but he had never really been a showing-off-his-emotions kind of guy; it was something he had always struggled with. Hopefully, he was sure Shiro knew the affection and true meaning and sentiment of the words.

“Thanks,” the man smiled at him.

“So when will you be moving in?”

“We’ll start packing some things at the end of the month,” continued Shiro, leaning back on the wall behind him. “The idea is to have most of our stuff there before the wedding and finish the moving process once we come back from the trip.”

“Huh… Can I at least keep Luna? She loves me more than you anyway.”

“Dude, you’re not keeping our cat!” insisted his brother, but not without a laugh. “Though maybe you can take her in while we’re away.”

Allura then intervened, cutting in their conversation as she absentmindedly changed the subject. “Shiro, what do think of this one?" she asked, holding up the samples catalog of tablecloths. "I think it would match better with the flowers...”

“Please take a break, sweetheart,” he answered lovingly, yet tiredness was evident in his voice. He cupped the side of her face, running his thumb over her soft cheek. “We’ve been at this the whole day; they all look the same to me at this point, I’m sorry. Can we continue tomorrow?”

The woman sighed and gave her fiancé a small smile. “Sure.”

She carefully pushed the cloth samples and catalogs aside and moved closer to Shiro, accommodating herself next to him and resting her head on the crook of his neck, only for him to rest his cheek on top of it. Keith watched the scene silently from his comfortable spot on the couch, not too far from the couple. It was such a tender gesture, though not as intimate as one would consider a kiss or caressing, yet still, the kind that makes one crave for the same closeness. Keith felt as if he were intruding the moment.

He still remembered that time all those years ago when his brother, only a freshman in university, had told him about the gorgeous foreign student in his Calculus class. It had taken Shiro some time to finally gather up the courage to ask her out, but once they’d gotten together, the two had been inseparable. It never ceased to surprise Keith how well two people could complement each other; how much two people could _love_ each other. Though aside from all the happiness he could feel for his brother, Keith couldn't stop being a little jealous. He wondered what it was like to be with someone with whom conversation came as easy as breathing, someone whose text notification you could not wait to see come up on your phone's screen, someone with whom everything just felt _so right_. 

But if anyone ever asked, he would deny all these cheesy thoughts.

“So, Keith,” began Allura, breaking the silence in the room and the boy’s train of thoughts. “How’s _Francesco_?” she asked, mockingly accentuating her accent at the familiar name before taking a sip of her beer.

He was taken aback by her question. “We broke up like two weeks ago, why should I care?”

“What?!" she exclaimed. "Why am I just hearing this now? I thought you really liked that guy...”

“Well yeah, but he started acting like a fucking idiot these last few months. It was getting annoying. Besides, he apparently had some sort of condition that made him pay more attention to everyone else’s asses instead of mine”

The couple laughed.

“And yet I think that’s one of the longest relationships you’ve had,” Shiro pointed out.

“Yeah, I have no idea how that happened.”

“I’m glad you ended things with him,” said Allura nonchalantly. “We never liked Francesco anyway. I would _not_ have let you bring him to the wedding.”

“Allura!” gasped Shiro, taken aback by his fiancée's remark. “You can’t just casually say that! There’s a reason why we talk about some things in private.”

Keith chuckled. “It’s alright, I kinda got the feeling," he confessed, going back to stare at the ceiling and petting the cat absentmindedly. "Anyway, you won’t have to worry about a 'plus one' from me, so that'll be one less guest.”

  


\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  


“Do you think he’d be interested in meeting someone?” asked Allura later that night. Keith had already left a couple hours before, and now she and Shiro were trying to tidy up the living room before finally calling it a night.

Her fiancé gave her a worried look. There was never a way for him to guess what she was plotting. “Like a blind date? I don’t think Keith would be too comfortable with that… What do you have in mind?”

“Well, one of my cousins is about his age, so I was thinking that maybe I could introduce them at the reception since it’d be easier than arranging for them to go out.”

“I’m… not sure,” Shiro shook his head, not too eager about at the idea. “You know Keith isn’t really good with new people...”

“But wouldn’t it be fun?” Allura went on excitedly, leaving her chore forgotten to move closer to where he stood and taking him by the hands. “My cousin’s _really_ nice, he’s a true gentleman —though he can sometimes be a total pain—, and he’s single —which is _very_ important.”

“I-” began the man doubtfully, only to be interrupted.

“Come on, Shiro! You said yourself that Keith needs a little push sometimes; to be taken out of his comfort zone.”

He sighed. “Fine,” he finally consented, signaling his defeat. There was never a way to talk her out of her crazy ideas. “But you're gonna have to let him know first, and don’t you dare drag me into it.”

Allura’s lips curved into a wide grin and gave him a quick kiss before going back to take care of the mess scattered across their living room floor.


	2. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay on the update, guys. I know we promised it soon like a month ago, but even though we're on summer vacation, we can't be writing all the time since both of us have our own things to do. I'll try to post the updates as well on my twitter so if any of you want, you can keep track of the fic there. Also, we decided to change the name of the fic to one more fitting lol  
> I hope everyone enjoys the chapter :)  
> -Paula

Keith sighed. It was one of those kind of sighs that makes it look like the person it came out of just found out they got assigned a very important and deadly mission that will make them have to move away and leave all their loved ones behind, knowing they probably won’t come back alive; or the kind of sigh someone does when they have a bunch of paperwork due Monday they didn’t remember until that very last minute. That very last minute being Sunday night.

Actually, Keith kind of wished it was either of those things. Yes, including the paperwork. Because that way he would at least have an excuse to leave as soon as he possibly could without looking like a complete asshole.

He sighed again, looking at himself in the mirror and readjusting his red tie. _Come on Keith, pull yourself together._

“What’s with that face?”

Keith was suddenly startled and directed his gaze to his older brother’s reflection in the mirror, who was leaning casually against the bathroom door’s frame.

“Shiro,” he muttered the name almost as if it were an apology.

“You look like you’ve been given a death sentence,” Shiro threw an arm over his brother’s shoulder and half hugged him as he laughed. “ _I’m_ the one who’s getting married, you know?”

“Yeah,” the boy let out a nervous chuckle. “Sorry. I just… you know I never liked these… _social situations..._ ” ‘Social situations’ sounded almost like a curse word, and it made Shiro smile even harder than he already was as he let out a laugh. “Besides, what Allura said about—”

“Ah, don’t pay attention to that, she probably won't do it. She just gets excited.”

Keith stared at him doubtfully. “You can’t control that woman.”

“I know,” Shiro kept smiling like a complete idiot with a light in his eyes that seemed to say ‘I know, I can’t control her. Isn’t that amazing? She’s amazing’. Keith could almost see the little red hearts floating around his brother’s head like one of those Snapchat filters. Gross.

He ended up smiling back anyway. Shiro looked happy and, well, that made Keith happy, too.

“Don’t you have to get dressed?” He asked, nudging his shoulder softly.

“I will. When you get out of here,” said Shiro, already pushing him out of the bathroom. “You can’t see my clothes.”

“What do you mean I can’t see them, _I bought them with you!_ ” pointed out Keith, but that made Shiro push him harder as he laughed hysterically. “Isn’t that just for the bride anyway?”

But he was already out of the room, the door closed behind his back with a loud thud.

_Fucking great_ , thought Keith dryly. Without anything else to do, he decided to wait for his brother in the living room, scrolling through his phone and going back and forth between apps. The whole place was silent, with Shiro in one bathroom getting ready and Matt taking a shower in another, but it was not like he minded. They had agreed to get ready at Matt's apartment since it was not far from the church, and Keith was just glad that none of his friend's roommates were there. He mentally thanked them for not being present and so relieving him from having to make unpleasant small-talk.

The three of them met with the other groomsmen at the church, where they also had to greet the arriving guests, including Shiro and Keith's grandmother. She was sitting by the second row of pews of the groom's side, her beautiful dress adorned with a joyful smile on her face. She gave a big kiss to both of her grandsons when they approached her and a few compliments were exchanged —mostly from her telling them how handsome they looked— before she told Shiro how much she wished his father could have been there, to what he only smiled. Meanwhile, Keith had been surrounded by a lot of excited family members and cheek pinches from all of his aunts, because ‘Oh my god, look at you! You're so grown up! When did you get so tall?’. Keith had to refrain himself from reminding the lovely ladies he was twenty one already, so he simply answered all the questions about his feelings towards the ceremony and his brother’s new happy and love-filled life with a smile.

Shortly after, they said their goodbyes and the two men made their way to stand by the altar, where they talked for a while before Keith had to go to the back of the church so he could enter with the Maid of Honor once the ceremony started. On his way, he glanced at the front row of pews, all vacant for him and the groomsmen to sit later. There was also an empty pew on the bride's side for the Bridal Party. It dawned on him how all of this was already happening, of how, even if he hadn't been at all eager at the idea of standing in front of a huge emotional crowd, being surrounded with enormous flower arrangements, family and friends whom he hadn’t spoken with in years, two cheesy lovebirds, and three very-emotional bridesmaids and Maid of Honor in pastel pink dresses, he just hadn’t been able refuse to be a part of such an important moment in his brother's life.

The wedding ended up not being entirely disgusting. A bit tedious perhaps since it was a church ceremony and he had had to be up for most of it, but once he had been able to sit down, Keith had relaxed a lot. He’d only tensed up again when he had heard his aunt Monica begin to cry at the vows up until the couple proclaimed the ‘I do’ (in which, although he would completely deny it later, he had shed a couple of tears, too).

The newlyweds looked amazing. Shiro was the most smiley Keith had ever seen him, and Allura was just absolutely stunning. Her dress had parts made of lace with small gems embedded in the fabric that shined with the reflection of light whenever she moved. He could’ve sworn he’d heard his brother catch his breath the moment she had appeared at the other end of the aisle. That, added to the flowers, the candles, Shiro standing by the altar like a real prince charming, and the enormous multi-colored stained glass behind him, gave the scene a certain fairytale-like atmosphere. It was the kind that made one feel as if one actually were in the middle of a children’s story right after the knight had saved the princess and decided to get married and rule the kingdom in a peaceful, happily-ever-after way.

Together they truly looked like they could be the rulers of their own realm, and Keith had found himself almost imagining the fairy dust floating around. Allura looked indeed like a princess; a Queen even. _I bet she is in some alternate universe_ , the boy had thought as he had watched her walk down the aisle. _But I highly doubt Shiro would be the one rescuing her. It’d probably be the other way around, even with how buff he looks._

He’d been one of the last people to leave the church after the ceremony had ended since he had to be present for the photoshoot, but he wasn’t at all surprised to find that his brother and new sister-in-law were nowhere to be found once he arrived at the reception. Instead of stressing out about it, he headed to the Head Table where his seat awaited him while casually looking around the big room.

Keith started spotting faces he hadn’t seen back at the church, especially since the wedding had been mostly for close friends and family members only. There were lots of kids running around; some of their faces looked familiar -he might have seen them at a family gathering or so-, but the rest he figured were Allura’s. He hadn’t formally met any member of her family aside from her father and crazy-yet-fun uncle, so since she’d never mentioned anyone else from her father’s side Keith guessed they were her mother’s relatives. They all shared the same dark skin, but instead of silver locks, they had chocolate-colored hair.

There were also a couple of faces he didn’t recognize; young people that could be Shiro and Allura’s old friends from college or their work colleagues. Taking a champagne flute from a waiter’s tray as he passed by, Keith made a mental note to stay away from them.

As he took his seat next to the bride’s, a girl approached him.

“I can see you’re enjoying yourself already,” she stated, gesturing to the boy’s drink as she sat next to him despite the many empty ones on the table. “You better not get drunk and ruin the party with your very-easily-swayed and horny-assed alter ego.”

“Very funny, Pidge,” Keith said without turning to look at her and took a sip. “I can hold my drink, thank you very much.”

She snorted. “You sure? Last time you almost let your douche ex get you back with his cheap compliments,” objected Pidge, making Keith roll his eyes. “Where are Shiro and Allura anyway? They're supposed to be here already...”

The boy made a face. “They're probably making out in the car or something. They’ll make their grand entrance soon, don’t worry. They can’t make us wait too long. Nice suit, by the way.”

“Thanks. I had to have it made because it was impossible to find one for rent. It’s _so_ much more comfortable than a dress.”

“I didn’t see you at the ceremony,” commented Keith.

“Really? There weren’t many redheads sitting on the third row of pews of the groom’s side,” Pidge chuckled, taking the champagne flute from her friend’s hand to take a sip. “Have you seen Matt, by the way? I can’t find him...”

Keith shook his head. “I haven't seen him since the photoshoot at the church.”

The girl groaned loudly and turned to look at the arriving guests around the room. “You know, I wasn’t feeling like coming at first," she commented after a while. "Matt ended up convincing me with the whole ‘you’ve known him since before you were born. How do you think he’s going to feel?’ speech.”

“You know you were invited even before they sent out the invitations...”

Pidge sighed. “Yeah, but I’m not into this type of events. You know that.”

“Dude, that’s cold,” said Keith, taking back his drink. “You _have_ known Shiro since forever. He would’ve been really hurt if you hadn’t come.”

“Oh, like you’re one to talk,” pointed out his friend. “You don’t want to be here either; you’re less of a party person that I am. You’re only here ‘cause you don’t want to let him down, and he’s your _brother_.”

“Hm, touché.” was all he answered, drinking again.

By the time the newlyweds arrived, Pidge had quit pestering him and had left the table, leaving Allura’s seat vacant once again. Keith had known her since she was a baby given that both of their brothers had been best friends since the womb and he truly loved her, but he’d be lying to himself if he said he hadn’t wanted to strangle her a few times over the years. She might have been seventeen, but she was still just as annoying as when they were children.

Though she had been right; Keith just wanted to get out of there. It was torture enough already to have to be neatly dressed in a suit, much less having to be sitting through all this for more than three hours. His joy and pride for his brother’s happiness weren’t as a strong feeling as the desire to go home. However, he wasn’t heartless and did indeed feel bad for feeling in such way.

He pushed his thoughts aside and focused on Shiro and Allura as they made their way through the room greeting their guests. The couple stopped by one of the tables near the dancefloor and the Head Table, where Keith watched his sister-in-law give both her father and uncle a hug. Shiro greeted them next shaking both men’s hands. Alfor -Allura’s father- said something to him then, to which his brother laughed and answered back with a smile on his face. That same dorky smile Keith had seen him wear ever since he and Allura had started dating and which had intensified when they’d gotten engaged.

Looking at the interaction made Keith remember that he hadn’t said hello to either of the two men at all, and prayed that they didn’t think it had been out of rudeness.

The couple said their goodbyes a few seconds later and stepped onto the dancefloor as the band announced that they were about to share their First Dance as husband and wife. The song of choice was one of Allura’s favorites, some terribly-romantic Andrea Bocelli tune that Shiro had also come to like because of her. The lyric was indeed very beautiful, very reflective of how in love the two were. Keith watched them sway to the music, share inaudible words with laughter and idiotic grins, and stare into one another’s eyes with such affection the boy had always thought to be a thing of classic novels and cheesy romcoms. He had never imagined it was possible to find a love like that, but his brother was proof that he had been wrong. For seven years he had been a witness of Shiro and Allura's romance, but he still could not believe his eyes.

When the dance finally came to an end, their guests applauded and cheered for them, and the couple headed towards the Head Table hand-in-hand with unwavering smiles on their faces. Keith stood up to congratulate them as they came closer. 

“Finally,” he said. “You guys took so long to arrive for a second there I thought you weren’t gonna make it to your own party.”

Allura approached him first and embraced him in a tight hug. “Ha-ha, you’re a funny one!”

Keith chuckled. “Welcome to the family.”

“Aw, thank you!” She answered as they let go of each other. “And here you had me thinking for years you were a complete emo.”

He rolled his eyes as his brother laughed at the statement.

Shiro joined his wife’s teasing. “And you still haven't heard his Best Man speech,” he said, surrounding Allura with his arm. She sneaked hers around his waist. “He’s a total sap deep inside.”

“Okay, you're _this close_ ” Keith warned mimicking the words with his fingers, “to me deciding against it. And how would you know if it’s heartfelt or not? It’s not like you’ve read it.”

His brother was about to respond when Matt called him from the other side of the table. Shiro let go of Allura and walked towards his friend who most surely wanted to congratulate him as well.

“Lighten up, Keith,” commented his sister-in-law, trying to get the boy’s attention back as he stared at the two men share a hug. She offered him a smile, sensing his nervousness. “I’m sure he’ll love whatever you say. Sentimental or not, Shiro knows the words come from your heart.”

He could only nod as Allura walked away to greet and be congratulated by her friends. Finding himself awkwardly alone, Keith went over to where Shiro and Matt were discussing and laughing about -more likely as always- nothing of big importance. He would’ve decided against it, preferring to stand alone if his brother would have been talking to his other groomsmen instead. But even though it _was_ sort of awkward at the beginning, once Pidge barged in into their conversation to give Shiro a hug it felt as if it were just the four of them once again, at the Holt’s or at Shiro’s apartment cracking stupid jokes and playing video games and just having the best of times. While it lasted, conversation flowed easily and Keith was able to relax, even if only a little.

Everything after was pretty much uneventful. They all sat in their respective seats at the Head Table and then dinner was served, relieving Keith of the need to make conversation with the bridesmaid at his right. Even Allura at his left didn’t pay much attention to him, choosing to direct her conversation towards Shiro, who would most eagerly ignore the world to focus only on her.

He began to tense again, however, remembering that he would have to give his speech in brief minutes. He _had_ in fact written some sincere words about his brother, but he wasn’t too comfortable with the idea of having to say them out loud, let alone share them with a room filled mostly with strangers. It had never been easy for him to express his feelings about anything ─as a kid, he’d been too shy and now he was simply too embarrassed. 

Since there evidently wasn’t a way out of it without disappointing his brother, Keith decided to just focus on his food and leave the inevitable for later.

Once the first course of the meal had been served and everyone had finished their entrées, Keith headed towards the stage to ask the band for a microphone. Not wanting to stand in the middle of the dancefloor or the stage to give the speech, he went back to his seat at the Head Table ─already on the spotlight─ where he at least wouldn’t be alone. He then called for everyone’s attention and took a crumpled sheet of paper from one of his tux’s inside pockets. 

“So, hum...” Keith began doubtful, the nerves taking a hold of his words. He cleared his throat. “There are a lot of things that I’ve written on this piece of paper that I’m not gonna say here tonight because I’m too emo for that,” the entire room laughed. “So I’m just gonna give this to you later, Shiro.”

His brother smiled.

“Not many of you know, but Shiro and I are not brothers by blood. My mom met his dad when I was about five and they married a short time after,” Keith looked down at the paper for a brief second as if seeking encouragement from it. “People also tend to assume that we _are_ related because we get along pretty well despite our age gap,” he continued. “But it wasn't always like that. It was weird for me at first, having both a sibling and someone else to look up to instead of just my mom. It took me awhile to get used to him, and when I finally had the terrible accident happened.”

Keith stopped and took a deep breath. Even after so many years, it was still hard for him to talk about the death of his mother, let alone mention it.

Looking into Shiro’s eyes, Keith started to let out more than he had initially intended, picturing only his brother in the room. “You were strong for me in your grief; you were there for me even when I pushed you away; you made sure that we overcame our pain together. There’s not a memory of when I’ve been at my worst that you’re not there, making sure that I never give up; always with that patient and optimistic personality of yours that I sometimes hate,” Shiro laughed at the words. “I know I don’t say this as often as you deserve to hear it, but you are truly an amazing brother. I can’t picture my life without you in it and I don’t want to.

“I’m sure your dad would be very proud of the man you've become and of having found such an extraordinary woman as Allura; he would’ve loved her as much as I do,” Shiro looked at his wife with a smile and put his arm around her, giving her a kiss on the side of her head. “Now Allura, I know there might be times when you want to strangle Shiro because you just want to be alone and he won’t stop trying to make you feel better or because he will change the channel without a warning even when you were watching TV first, but I can assure you that he’s going to love you and care for you and always be there when you need him, even for the silliest of things.” 

Keith paused and took a deep breath. Not wanting to spill any more sentiment, he finished raising his glass for a toast. “I wish you both all the happiness in the world.”

Everyone applauded him as he put away the microphone trying to hide his blushed cheeks and the tears forming in his eyes. Shiro stood up and gave him a tight hug; Keith had never been comfortable with PDA ─not even with something as simple as holding hands with someone─ in front of a bunch of strangers, but he gave in into the embrace.

“Here,” the boy said once they let go handing over the sheet of paper. “You deserve to read the whole thing.”

“Thanks,” Shiro replied with a smile and tucked it away in one of his pants’ pockets. “I knew you were just pretending to not have any feelings.”

“Ugh,” Keith groaned, but not without letting out a laugh. “Shut up!”

They returned to their seats and the staff continued serving the rest of the meal. Keith's accelerated heartbeat started to go back to normal now that his torture was finally over, but not without the help of another champagne flute.

Next, it was the Maid of Honor's turn to give her speech shortly after the waiters had removed the dishes from the main course and, just like Keith, stayed in her seat. She was the only one from the Bridal Party that he knew; he had seen her a few times at Allura and Shiro’s apartment over the past months and had been introduced to him as Allura’s cousin Valerie.

Valerie’s words were a mix of heartfelt remarks and jovial comments about her relationship with Allura. She spoke of how even though she didn’t have a sister close to her age, she was lucky to have such an amazing cousin who filled that gap; how grateful and honored she was of having been picked as the Maid of Honor even though she knew she hadn’t been her cousin’s first choice; how they’d always dreamt about their wedding days as little girls and how proud she was that Allura’s had come true. Before toasting, Valerie directed some words to Shiro as well, saying how much she admired him for being willing to put up with Allura’s craziness, that she would sometimes drive him insane and that he should always keep her away from the kitchen or else she would burn it down, but that she would love him with everything she had.

Dessert was finally served after the speech and it wasn’t long before the actual party started. Shiro and Allura stood from the Head Table and headed towards the dancefloor and most of the guests followed. Keith, on the other hand, went to the bar in need of another drink.

There were few people standing nearby, making it easier for him to approach with no problem and ask for a Black Russian. He stood there looking at the many bottles of alcohol behind the bar once the bartender gave him the cocktail, counting the minutes until he could call a cab and finally go home.

“Damn,” he heard someone exclaimed at his left. “You Shiroganes are definitely something.”

Keith turned towards the voice, only to find a lean young man with short brown hair and light dark skin standing next to him. He hadn’t noticed him when he’d approached the bar nor had he seen him get close. The guy was wearing a navy blue suit with a black bowtie around his neck, and a cocky grin on his lips.

“Excuse me?”

“You are the groom’s brother, aren’t you?”

“Yes, but...” Keith looked at him for a minute, trying to grasp the idea of why this guy wanted to chat with him. “Didn’t you hear my speech? I explained it there...”

The other let out a chuckle. “Sorry, no. At least not all of it. I did catch the end of it, though. It was really touchy.”

“Thanks...”

“So, are you?” the stranger asked again. “Related to the groom?”

Keith sighed, annoyed that the boy was still trying to make conversation with him. “Sort of,” he finally answered. “We’re stepbrothers, so we don’t share last names. He’s Shirogane and I’m Kogane.”

“Oh,” he answered simply. Keith turned to his drink again as the bartender asked his unwanted companion if he wanted any beverages. He asked for a Daiquiri and remained silent while it was being prepared.

“So,” the guy spoke again much to Keith’s dislike once the cocktail had been handed to him. “Does that last name comes with a first name?”

“I’m sorry, you are...?” asked Keith, trying very little to hide the annoyance in his voice.

With a cocky grin, the stranger responded, “The name’s Lance.”

Keith eyed him for a few seconds, brows furrowed and eyes narrowed. He didn’t remember seeing this guy at the church, so maybe he had just come directly to the party like many of the other guests. Then again, he hadn’t even seen Pidge there even though she claimed -and he knew for sure- she had attended.

He turned away, taking another sip of his Black Russian and answered, “Keith.”

Lance’s smirk widened. “So what’s got you standing here all by yourself?” he inquired, never taking his eyes off Keith as he drank from his cocktail. “Shouldn’t you be dancing with one of the hot bridesmaids or something?”

“I’m not really much of a dancer,” was Keith’s simple response. He kept ignoring the guy’s hard stare hoping that he would just give up.

It did not work.

“Nah, not true. I believe anyone can dance, you just have to find the right partner.”

“Well, why don’t you go and find yourself one?”

Lance didn’t say anything for a brief second, and then “There’s no need, I’m looking right at them.”

If Keith had been drinking, he most surely would’ve choked at the ludicrous statement, and it was in that moment that it dawned on him that this guy was trying to flirt with him. _He has such hideous lines_ , thought Keith. _So pathetic._

He let out a dry laugh and answered sarcastically, “Yeah, okay.”

Lance didn’t seem at all affected by his attitude; if anything he looked pretty confident. “Well, it’s not like you will stand here drinking the whole party,” he said. “That would be terribly sad, man...”

“Watch me,” Keith assured him, taking in one big gulp the last of his Black Russian. He asked for another one.

Silence fell over them once again and Keith looked around in the hopes of finding Pidge to relieve him from this flirty annoyance since ignoring it wouldn’t do the trick; in desperate times he would welcome her teasing with open arms. Even a distant relative would do if it got Lance to walk away.

“Tell you what, Kogane,” he heard the guy in question say. “I respect your decision, though I must say I find it a bit odd and kind of depressing. I’ll buy you a drink and leave you alone _if_ you dance the next song with me.”

Keith snorted. “And what makes you think I will agree?”

“Cause apparently drinking is the only thing you seem to enjoy,” Lance gave his empty glass back to the bartender and asked for two tequila shots. “So: drink for you, dance for me… Win-win.”

Keith stared at him skeptically processing the words that had just been spoken. Lance was no idiot and _had_ noticed he didn’t want anything with him other than leave him be, but he wasn’t going down without a fight. Keith wasn’t used to guys trying hard to seduce him or get his attention ─they were usually intimidated by his stern and serious gaze and solitary nature. Based on that, he wondered how he’d gotten to date his previous boyfriends.

There wasn’t really much for Keith to lose; if there was a slight chance that agreeing to the terms would make him get rid of Lance then he would take it. He mentally thanked every deity out there that none of those around them cared for the spectacle that was their interaction.

“Here,” Lance intervened, holding one of the shots in front of him with a smirk on his lips. “A small dose of confidence to help you decide faster.”

“Just so you know,” Keith replied accepting the drink. “This is not the one you owe me.”

Lance’s grin grew and gulped down his tequila.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song I chose for the First Dance is a cover of [When I Fall In Love](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljs1ada9n3c) by Andrea Bocelli.  
> -Paula
> 
> Tumblr:  
> [milk-hooney (Lulu)](https://milk-hooney.tumblr.com/)  
> [trashxnebula (Paula)](http://trashxnebula.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Twitter:  
> [pmpc96 (Paula)](https://twitter.com/pmpc96)


	3. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M BACK!!! I'm so so sorry that it took me almost a year to update the fic, is2g this chapter was just giving me so much trouble. Added to that, I was really going through some tough times the last four months of last year regarding my university major, so I was having a really hard time finding inspiration to write. I’m just glad that I’ve managed to finish this hellish chapter and that I can finally post it so I can keep on working on the rest of the story. Thank you so much for everyone’s patience, and I hope this chapter doesn’t disappoint.  
> This update is special because with it comes a [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/user/pmpc8/playlist/6ULPfXLBqTUmlhOIPQnr9a?si=HljyzmPTRKqNG58bkFpfsg)! I’ve been dying to share this with everyone since I created it lmao. It's a really weird mix of reggaetón, dance/electronic, pop, merengue, trap, urbano, the 80s, and the 70s; I selected the songs as if Lance had chosen them, so they’re both in English and Spanish. These are the songs that, even though their names are not written in the chapter, play throughout the party and that maybe (or maybe not) Lance and Keith end up dancing to. I hope everyone enjoys it!  
> Super special thanks go to my wonderful beta notgalileo, not only for correcting my grammar mistakes but for making such an awesome cover for the playlist. I don't know what I'd do without you <3  
> I also made some [quick](https://twitter.com/pmpc96/status/905906524551356421) [doodles](https://twitter.com/pmpc96/status/915287054728253440) a while ago in reference to this and the first chapter. Go check them out!  
> \--Paula

To his dismay and complete apathy for the celebration, Keith hadn’t bothered to care for the music playing at the moment, only realizing too late as he let himself be guided towards the dance-floor the soft tune was that of slow dancing. Melodic guitar strings were heard through the speakers, the previous song giving way to a new one, and the words later sung completely unintelligible to him. He knew it was Spanish, having vaguely learned it in High School and having heard Allura speak it a couple of times, but he couldn't really make out the meaning of the lyrics.

“Mind if I lead?” Lance asked, offering his hand.

Too proud to admit his lack of ability for the craft, Keith simply accepted it and let the other boy shorten the distance between them, pulling him close. Lance put his free arm around his waist and placed their entwined hands on the side of his chest; Keith rested his free hand on Lance’s shoulder.

At the proximity, the radiant blue of Lance’s irises caught his attention; it was a beautiful shade like that of the ocean. It was a color too surreal to be so casually amongst the mundane, thought Keith, and he felt that it made his own violet eyes look completely ordinary.

Unsettled by how marveled he was by them, Keith tried to change his focus, looking down to the detailed fabric of Lance’s tuxedo jacket were their hands rested; around them to the other guests dancing; back to his partner when he confirmed no one he knew ─especially Pidge or Shiro─ was anywhere near to see him like this. Those two would never let him live it down if they knew he was dancing, and to a slow song no less.

He suddenly noticed Lance had started singing along in a hushed tone, catching him by surprise. Keith watched him silently for a moment, simply listening.

“You know the words?” he asked intrigued. “What does it say?”

“Do you really wanna know?”

Keith narrowed his eyes. “It’s some romantic shit, isn’t it?”

His dance partner chuckled.

“Fucking great,” he muttered annoyed, looking away again and around the other couples dancing. He could feel a pair of piercing eyes on him, inspecting every one of his features.

“It’s really beautiful, actually,” Lance noted. “You’re missing out.”

“I’m good, thanks.”

Silence fell over them once more and Keith was surprised at the other boy’s apparent lack of interest in making small-talk. It was not at all fitting with how he’d behaved at the bar minutes before, but he didn’t give it much thought. He was simply glad that he wasn’t being forced into an unwanted conversation.

The song they were dancing to was something completely outside of his music taste, and even though it wasn’t that bad, he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t feeling uncomfortable. Everything about that day ever since he’d put on that tuxedo had been such a pain, and now he was dancing with a total stranger. A stranger with beautiful eyes, yes, but a stranger nonetheless.

The only good thing he could make out of all this was that it kept him away from Allura and the relative she oh-so-excitedly wanted to introduce him to. At least with Lance, he had a better excuse to avoid her, even if it wasn’t the finest of companies. If she saw him with someone other than Pidge she’d surely leave him alone.

“Kiss me,” said Lance suddenly out of nowhere, catching him off-guard.

Keith’s eyes widened in surprise and incredulity, his brows coming together in a deep frown at the words that had been spoken. He turned abruptly back to Lance. “ _Excuse me?!_ ”

“No, no,” replied the other rapidly. Keith could tell he was trying hard to stop himself from hysterically laughing at his incredulous face. “It’s what the song says. You were wondering about the lyrics...”

“Dude, you can’t just say things like that randomly! You did that on purpose!”

“You blush too easily, Kogane,” teased Lance with a smirk on his lips. “If I keep translating for you, will you turn redder?”

There was no need, however, since Keith felt his cheeks grow hotter at the remark, and the same melodious and annoying chuckle filled their close atmosphere. It was truly embarrassing.

His mother used to laugh at it and claim that he would blush for the silliest of things, so much that the tip of his ears changed color whenever he lied. She hadn’t done it with malice, of course ─she had even said he looked adorable─, but Keith had begun seeing it as a vulnerability, and it bothered him that it was beyond his control.

He looked away again.

“Chill, Red,” commented the brunet. “I think it’s cute. Besides, it’s not at all uncommon for my dance partners to find me charming. They always blush, especially the ladies.”

“You think too highly of yourself,” still refusing to turn ─and slightly taken aback by the distant and familiar nickname─, Keith kept his gaze on those around them, not really looking at anyone in particular. “And don’t call me names. We barely know each other.”

“Yeah, you’re right…” said Lance nonchalantly with a shrug. “And yet here we are, dancing to a ballad like a couple...”

At the statement, Keith snatched his hand away from him. “Alright, you know what-?!” he snarled, ready to walk away. No free drink was worth _this_.

“Okay, I’m sorry,” answered the other boy quickly, taking back Keith’s hand into his to prevent him from leaving. “I'm sorry. Please, stay.” At the lack of response, Lance added, “I’ll try to refrain myself from any inappropriate commentary.”

“Why can’t you just go ask any of the ‘hot bridesmaids’ to dance with you?”

“We’re already here, come on,” he insisted. “What have you got to lose?”

_My dignity_ , came immediately to Keith’s mind. He huffed loudly instead, and let himself be pulled into Lance’s arms once again, trying, however, to keep even more distance between them. There was no doubt this intimate form of dancing was beyond awkward for two complete strangers, or at least for him. Lance, on the other hand, looked like the kind of guy who went around flirting with anything that might look at him, from the person who took his order at McDonald’s to random customers at bars. Just like now.

He wasn’t sure as to _why_ he had accepted to give him another chance. His initial plan for the night had been to avoid his sister-in-law by drinking himself into oblivion, which didn’t sound half bad at the beginning, but if he really thought about it ─something he usually refrained himself from doing─, it _was_ terribly depressing. It could also lead him into getting all moody and ruin the party just as Pidge had gladly pointed out earlier, and he surely didn’t want that under any circumstances.

So between spending _all_ night with Pidge versus a few minutes with an equally-annoying stranger, the latter was not entirely so terrible. After all, he would probably never see Lance again. All he had to endure was one song; up to four minutes and then it would all be over.

“Your speech was lovely,” the voice he had hoped would stay quiet just a little longer cut through the comfortable silence that had set upon them for a second time, starting a new topic of conversation.

“I thought you’d said you hadn’t listened to all of it...” Keith stated confused.

“Well, yeah,” confirmed Lance. “I mean, only the part at the end where you said how much you admired your brother and then said some nice things about your sister-in-law. I got here late, so that was all I was able to hear.”

“Oh… Thank you.”

“It was very sentimental,” he went on. “Which kinda threw me off when I approached you at the bar. No offense, but you don’t really look like the type of guy who does the whole ‘pour your heart out’ kind of thing...”

Keith would have felt insulted by such a bold remark if it hadn’t been true. Not wanting to give Lance the privilege of being right, he answered matter-of-factly, “What was that thing you just said about inappropriate commentary?”

The brunet chuckled, and when he spoke again, he was more genuine. “But seriously, I really liked it. Especially cause it doesn’t suit you.” There was a moment of heavy silence between them in which Keith didn’t know if he should reply something to what had most likely been a compliment, but then Lance added, “You must really love your brother...”

The evident kindness in his voice threw Keith off, not fitting _at all_ with the image Lance had given him so far. Cutting him off and dismissing such an honest assertion with a sarcastic comment would have been a very rude thing to do however; Keith wasn’t that big of an asshole as to pretend that his dance partner hadn’t truly meant those words, so he simply readjusted his grip on Lance’s shoulder and croaked, “Very much.”

Lance didn’t respond anything to that, only nodded, and Keith hoped he would just let the overemotional topic rest. Having a total stranger ask him about his affection for his brother was one of the most awkward encounters he’d ever had. Thankfully, when the other opened his mouth again, no more personal questions were made.

“I remember when _my_ brother got married,” commented Lance nonchalantly. “It wasn’t as fancy as this of course, but it sure was one hell of a party. There was even an after-party at one of the groomsmen’s house, but they didn’t let me go. I was like 16...” he paused and laughed to himself, most likely at a memory of that event. “My sister got _so drunk_ that night, my mom was _furious_!”

As much as he tried to fight it back, Keith let out a laugh as well, though it sounded a bit more like a snort.

“I’m jealous of you, though...” he continued. “You’re so lucky you got to be the Best Man. My brother got one of his friends instead of me....”

The dark-haired boy scoffed. “Trust me,” he articulated. “You didn’t miss out on anything.”

“Dude, how can you say that!” exclaimed Lance with a hint of indignation at what he apparently considered as one of the biggest privileges on Earth. “The most amazing thing about being Maid of Honor or Best Man is that you get to be part of the planning of the big night! And besides, it’s a reassurance of how important you are for the bride or groom. Otherwise, you’d just be another guest on the list.”

Even as much as Keith wanted to deny it, he had to admit there _was_ some truth in what Lance was saying. Once the engagement had been announced, he had thought Shiro was going to pick Matt to be his Best Man. It made sense, given how close the two had been since basically kindergarten, and Keith had been fine with it. So it had thrown him off completely when he had asked _him_ instead. He’d been flattered and shocked at the request and had, of course, accepted, only to later realize all the things he’d have to be in charge of. Especially at having to write that dreaded speech. That’s what he had hated the most.

“Well, very unlike you, I’m not really into parties,” he answered dryly. “Like, any kind. I’m sure you noticed...”

“Damn, Kogane, you’re such a killjoy,” huffed Lance, though Keith could tell there really wasn’t indignation in his claim. “Is there anything you _do_ enjoy?”

“Anything outside the social environment, yes.”

The other boy looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to elaborate as he raised his eyebrows in a silent ‘and?’. However, Keith didn’t say anything else, feeling completely unobligated to answer Lance’s prying inquisitions and encourage his obnoxious attempt of conversation.

“Oh, come on, man!” protested his dance partner. Now Lance was the one showing annoyance. “Just drop the gloomy attitude already! Lighten up a bit...”

“Why’d you ask me to dance with you, then?!” barked Keith, confused and angry at the brunet’s ‘request’ as he yanked his hand away and stepped back once more. He didn’t let him answer, utterly disinterested in anything he could say, and continued, “You know what? We don’t even know each other that well for you to have the audacity to say that. Don’t mess with me,” he hissed and turned towards the bar again, leaving Lance alone on the dance-floor. “I need a fucking drink.”

The brunet chuckled at his death glare and followed him through the crowd. “I can fix that, don’t worry.”

“Yeah, no thanks,” the other let out with a dry, sarcastic laugh. “I can get my own alcohol. Just go.”

They both reached the bar at the same time, but before Keith could open his mouth to order, Lance was faster to lean over the counter and ask the nearest bartender for two tequila shots. Once served, he slid one over to Keith. The black-haired boy didn’t even glimpse at it and asked the bartender for a different drink instead as if Lance hadn’t just rudely intercepted him.

Maybe he _did_ prefer Pidge’s occasional irritating behavior after all.

He took a sip of his Bourbon as soon as it was handed to him as he stared intensely at the display of bottles behind the counter for a second time. Keith sighed and elaborated, “What do I have to do for you to leave me alone?”

It was obviously rhetorical, but he was sure Lance wouldn’t miss the chance to answer it anyway. The brunet took back the abandoned shot and drank it, and when he spoke, his words of choice were different from what Keith was expecting. “You seem a little tense and cranky, Kogane. Let me get you something that will help you loosen up.”

Out of the blue, he nonchalantly took the beverage from Keith’s hands, leaving him little time to react, and moved it to the other side of the counter where he couldn’t reach for it. Lance called the bartender one more time, oh-so-friendly making conversation with him and asking him his name before ordering something that, surprisingly, Keith had never heard of. It took a while for Rolo, the bartender, to prepare it, and placed it in front of them once done. The drink had a brownish coloration like that of his Bourbon, but what caught his attention and made it less appetizing was its warmth.

He squinted in disgust when Lance slid it over to him.

“You know, I’ve been starting to wonder,” began Keith, not as surprised as the remark sounded. “Has this stalking of yours ever helped you pick up _anyone_? Or ordering strange cocktails because you think it might impress?”

“It’s not stalking, I’m just persistent,” answered the brunet matter-of-factly. “When I see something I like, I work hard for it. And the cocktails _have_ helped me to impress many.”

Keith scoffed, rolling his eyes. _This guy can’t be for real._

“Drink,” instructed Lance, sliding the tiny glass closer. “It’s good, I promise.”

The other eyed it for a moment, not at all convinced. “What the hell is that?”

“ _That_ , my friends, is gonna change your life,” replied his companion proudly with a smile on his face. “And if you like it then my debt is paid.”

“I thought you buying me a drink meant at least I got to choose it.”

“Well yeah, but you have the cocktail taste of an old man,” commented Lance. “This is more fun. You should drink it before it gets cold, though. It won’t taste as good otherwise.” Keith was about to reproach again when Lance interrupted him, taking the glass and holding it close to his face. “Not another word until you try it.”

Keith would have snatched it to emphasize his annoyance if it hadn’t meant spilling the cocktail and making an entire mess, so instead, he simply huffed and accepted it. He stared at it for a few seconds, contemplating it; he wondered what could be so good about a cocktail that needed to be heated before serving. Finally deciding he truly didn’t have much to lose, with one last sigh, he committed the enormous mistake of gulping it all down in one motion. He made the impossible to not spit it back out due to the enormous burning sensation in his throat.

“ _God!_ ” he growled as he set the glass back on the counter. “ _What the fuck is this?!_ ”

On the seat next to him, Lance was evidently trying hard to not laugh like a complete madman at his reaction. “Man, your face is priceless!” he replied between chuckles. “It’s called _Canelazo_.”

“You’re insane,” groaned Keith. Aside from the cocktail’s peculiar taste, he had never tasted something so intoxicating in his life. “Why the fuck did you order that?”

The brunet shrugged, still laughing. “You look like the kind of guy who likes strong drinks.”

Keith scoffed again, trying hard to ignore the fact that Lance had obnoxiously asserted with his prediction. All in all, the drink hadn’t been entirely that bad, which got him wishing he could keep his act together. Lance, however, was doing an awfully good job at getting under his skin.

It was incredibly exasperating how a single being could contain such flirtatious energy. Never in his life had he met someone who so easily spoke such ridiculously true things, someone who under all that shallowness was so surprisingly observant of others. There was no doubt some part of him was pissed at the fact that Lance didn’t seem at all affected by his sulky attitude yet somewhere around all that annoying personality of his, it got Keith feeling something he quite couldn’t put his finger on it.

He did his best to keep whatever it was he was feeling at their lowest and focus on getting the brunet to leave. He was sure that if they kept drinking together it would most surely not end well. For Keith at least.

“I seriously wonder how this has worked for you in the past...” he grumbled, trying to play it cool even though he could feel his cheeks heat up. Trying to act normal, he slid the glass across the bar for Rolo to retrieve when he had the chance, keeping his gaze away from Lance. He was not going to be teased about blushing too easily for a second time the same night.

However, it wasn’t enough to hold on to his pride.

Keith could almost see Lance’s wide grin on full display from the corner of his eye and imagine his radiant blue eyes glowing with that mischievous sparkle that still irritated him. It made him blush even harder.

“Yeah, you keep telling yourself that,” asserted Lance, his smirk growing with the words. He drank the remaining tequila shot. “Seems to me like it wasn’t so bad after all...”

The lingering burning sensation in Keith’s throat was nothing compared to the knot forming in his stomach; the suppression of mixed sentiments he was not used to feeling in combination with the alcohol was making him beyond uncomfortable.

Pidge had been right after all; his horny-assed alter ego was now screaming to come out after one too many drinks.

“Well, your debt is paid,” he croaked, turning to look at the brunet again. He tried his best to bury down such unpleasant emotions by maintaining a neutral expression. “You can give me back my Bourbon and go.”

“Gee, try not to sound so grateful,” protested Lance and reached for said drink. “Has anyone ever told you you’re terribly rude?”

“What’s your deal anyway?” snarled Keith defensively. “Did someone set you up for this?”

“ _What?_ " taken aback by the inquiring, the brunet put back the drink before the other could reach for it.

“It was Pidge, wasn’t it? I wouldn’t be surprised, she likes to mess with me.”

Lance scoffed indignantly. “I don’t even know anyone by that name! Why would you think someone would do that?”

“Please, I’m not an idiot. How much is she paying you?”

“Dude, you have some serious trust issues...” his companion’s eyebrows met in a concerned frown. His tone was more composed when he continued. “No one’s paying me anything, I swear. I just saw a hot guy sitting all by himself at the bar and decided to make a move. What’s wrong with that?”

Keith snorted, trying to pretend Lance’s words had been a forced compliment so they wouldn’t get to him. _He’s just trying to get into your head by acting all smooth and flirty_. It would have been easier if there hadn’t been something inside him that wanted to make him believe otherwise, but he brushed it off dismissively. He was not going to let Pidge’s words win.

“Alright,” acknowledged Lance, raising his hands up in defeat. “I apologize for my behavior. I admit I might’ve been a little pushy-”

“ _A little?_ ” noted Keith, raising an eyebrow.

The brunet chuckled. “ _Fine_ , maybe a lot. But I swear I’m telling you the truth.” The two boys stared for a moment as if trying to read each other. Keith couldn’t stop thinking how unbelievably blue Lance’s eyes were. “Can you give me another chance so we start again?”

Reluctant to let pass the apology-slash-confession as honest, Keith refrained himself from giving an answer, only letting out a scoff. The alcohol was doing things to his brain already, the combination of different beverages taking over his neurons, and so decided to use the little self-control he had left to keep quiet. He was sure Lance would use his words against him and wouldn’t leave it alone for as long as the night lasted. At this point, opening his mouth to say something that wasn’t defensive was to play in dangerous territory.

“I promise I can be a far better company than that friend of yours,” he insisted in a more friendly way, resting an elbow on the bar. “What do you say we play a game? Get to know each other?”

“I don’t think so,” muttered the dark-haired boy.

“C’mon, I dare you.”

“We’re not doing this,” dead-panned Keith, looking at him firmly in the eyes and trying hard to hide the unpleasant feeling in his chest and guts with the ever-present annoyance.

“If you still wanna pretend that my presence bothers you, fine. But I’m not buying any of your bullshit,” divulged Lance smoothly and leaned closer, completely evading the meaning of personal space. “I know you really enjoy my company.”

Having their faces only inches apart made it difficult for Keith to keep his serious expression. “You’re so full of yourself.”

“Thank you,” answered the other with a smug grin. They kept their gaze on each other for a minute again before Lance called the bartender for what seemed like the hundredth time. “Rolo, give us eight tequila shots, please.”

It was all laughs and harmless bickering after that, accompanied by random questions being asked back and forth. It was Lance telling Keith that he couldn’t drink all the shots to avoid answering his raunchy interrogations, that it wasn't the right way play Truth or Drink and that he at least had to reply to one of them. It was Keith telling Lance between laughs that he didn’t care about the game’s stupid rules and that he would keep doing so for as long as the night lasted.

Another round of shots was ordered, and by then Keith had let go of his inhibitions. He couldn’t really tell though if it was the interaction with Lance that came easy or the alcohol in his system that had just helped him loosen up. Maybe it was the latter that made the former possible. Maybe it was the small liking he’d taken on the brunet mixed with the strong drinks. Either way, he tried not to give it much thought.

“Okay, okay. Fine,” consented Lance before distributing the newly-served drinks. “I’ll tone down my questions a bit, but you gotta answer me, man.”

Keith reached over and took three shots for himself. “I make no such promises.”

The brunet never stopped complaining at how boring Keith had made the game, but asked his questions nonetheless. With the same dynamic as before, Keith told him about his university major and how it had been his mother who had inspired him to study Astronomy, and about his friendship with Pidge. He _did_ drink, however, when Lance asked him to tell him more about his mother. No matter how drunk he was, she was never a topic of conversation.

When it was Keith’s turn to ask, Lance answered by telling him about his Performing Arts Major at Daibazaal School of Arts, about his summer job at the same dance studio he took classes at during the school year, about his fluency in Spanish and his early years living in Havana, where he had gotten to practice it more. He told him the incentive to learn the language had come from his Cuban mother, having taught it to him since he was little.

The game’s flow broke, however, when Lance didn’t answer to how he’d been invited to the reception, suddenly exclaiming, “Oh my God, I love this song!”. He jumped off the stool and took off his jacket, later abandoning it on the seat. He took Keith by the wrist and started pulling him towards the dance-floor. “C’mon!”

Completely dazed by the alcohol in his brain and the sudden realization of the loud music blasting through the speakers ─or perhaps it was simply because of how turned on he was at the sight of Lance in suspenders─, Keith didn’t fight back and let himself be tugged toward the dancing crowd without a second thought. The brunet started swaying his hips to the rhythm as if the song flowed inside him and singing out loud along the words once they found themselves amongst the other dancing guests, and Keith realized there was no way in hell he would now leave. 

Without a warning, Lance took his hand and twirled him around, only to then pull him closer and put a hand around his waist. Suddenly, Keith found himself staring directly into the brunet’s hypnotizing blue eyes, which added to the closeness and the tantalizing scent of his cologne, made him catch his breath. Feeling drawn to the gem-like irises and unable to look away, Keith put his arm around Lance’s neck, the need to be closer burning in his core.

His moves were clumsy and off-beat compared to his partner’s, but Lance didn’t seem to care much. He only sang at the top of his lungs, giving Keith none other than his trademark flirty look whenever he wasn’t singing and led the dance just as before. The way the brunet was looking at him made Keith feel like he was singing the lyrics to him, even though he could not make out the words.

He wondered if the all of the music in the party was in Spanish. Sure, the melody was upbeat and really catchy, but it didn’t stop him from wishing he could understand what it said. Maybe if he knew he could stop his horny ass from pretending the lyrics were being sung to him, or maybe even stop himself from being so marveled by hearing Lance speak it.

The thin dress shirt Keith was wearing suddenly felt too warm despite having disposed of his jacket and rolled up its sleeves hours ago. It could’ve been the heat of Lance’s body against his, or his own body heat that was rising due to their proximity. Either way, it was all making the knot of his tie feel too tight as if it were limiting the access of air in his lungs.

Everything about the whole situation was overwhelming: the loud music pounding in his ears, the choking sensation in his throat, the very few inches between him and Lance; it was all messing with his head. He guessed he could thank those "innocent" tequila shots. Or everything else he had drunk before those. Keith couldn't deny himself any longer how strangely attracted he was to the tanned-skinned boy nor did he want to.

It went on like that for countless songs, and Keith lost track of how many they had been dancing to already. Time had become completely irrelevant due to how much he was enjoying himself, even if he hated to admit it. It was an otherworldly experience, being here with Lance, in the last place he had thought he’d ever see himself. He danced to songs in both Spanish and English alike and even sang along to a few of the latter, which earned him some teases from Lance. Keith reproached, saying he knew them not necessarily because he liked them, but that just made the brunet make fun of him even more.

They danced close to each other and at arm’s length, the ever-growing tension building inside Keith’s chest long ago accepted. Every time the song changed, Lance’s hype was inexplicable. He would sometimes lift his arms up in the air, _always_ singing along, and swing his hips rhythmically to the sides. Every time the song changed, the sight of Lance dancing so lively made Keith’s breath catch in his throat.

Maybe it was the way Lance looked in a dress shirt, with the sleeves pulled up, and suspenders. Maybe it was the way he moved or the way he smiled. Maybe it was the innumerable amount of intoxicating drinks Keith had on him that was doing things to his head. Maybe it was all of it.

And maybe, just _maybe_ , Keith didn’t actually care.

A new song began, and Lance’s hands found their way back to his waist, to which Keith wrapped his arms around his neck just as many times before. Their faces met very closely again, their eyes staring right into each other's. Keith took a shaky breath as he felt the unwavering sway of Lance’s hips so close to his, and he tried to mimic it. The brunet chuckled at the failed attempt and, taking one of Keith’s hands, spun him around to press himself against his back. He then placed both hands on the dark-haired boy’s hips, his hot breath sending shivers down Keith’s spine the moment he felt it on his neck, and started guiding his movements.

It was exhilarating. Keith felt as if he had stopped breathing a long time ago, constantly finding himself unable to fill his lungs with oxygen. It was hard to concentrate on the dancing when the only thing on his mind was the closeness with Lance. The side of his face tingled just at the ghostly presence of the brunet’s soft cheek only inches apart from his, and his skin burned where those firm palms and slender finger held on to his hips. It wasn’t easy to fight for self-control.

Not wanting to contain himself any longer, Keith tilted his head back, slowly bringing Lance’s face closer by placing a hand on the nape of his neck. It was clumsy at first, their lips meeting in a strange angle due to their positions, but also a bit tentative and shy as they weren’t sure how it was supposed to go. The pace allowed Keith to savor the bittersweet taste and softness of the brunet’s lips; every encounter only adding fuel to the desire and lust that had been building inside him. There was definitely no going back from this, already miles down into the pit of the rabbit hole, but it did not bother Keith at all.

As he started to deepen the kiss, Lance pulled away slowly. _Fuck, this was a mistake_ was the only thing that crossed Keith’s mind in between all the heat of the moment, but the thought quickly vanished when he opened his eyes and saw the small smirk taking shape on his dance partner’s mouth.

“Come,” whispered Lance, their faces still only inches apart, and took his hand to guide him through and out of the dance-floor.

They made their way around the guests and out of the dance hall in less than a second, heading into the hotel towards somewhere else entirely. Keith felt as they were two silly teenagers sneaking around, which would’ve made him feel ridiculous if he were less wasted, but he was now beyond the point of giving a shit. He could only let himself be dragged by Lance down some stairs and through some of the hotel’s fancy hallways in search of a more private spot so he could have another taste of those lips.

Walking hurriedly inside a bathroom and into one of the many empty stalls, Keith was roughly pressed against the shiny wall, their kissing already more desperate and passionate than how it had started. They were hungry; Lance’s hands on Keith’s hips, grabbing at his dress shirt or reaching down to his ass; Keith with one arm around Lance’s neck and gripping his collar with the other, trying to bring him closer. It was physically impossible to be any nearest.

“You taste delicious,” suddenly whispered Lance with a grin, slightly breaking the kiss in between words.

“Shut up,” grumbled Keith under his breath and desperately pressed their lips back together.

He had been longing to do that for a while now; having been taunted and played with by the brunet ─even if unintentionally─ for the last God-knows-how-many-hours they had spent on the dance-floor, had had him craving for a taste of him. Yes, maybe he was horny, but he could tell Pidge to fuck off. He was not going to let his friend make him feel bad about it or regret a single second of this. He was probably never going to see Lance again anyway.

The only thing that worried him was either his brother or sister-in-law finding out that he had hooked up with one of their guests, but the thought quickly vanished when Lance pressed his leg in-between his parted thighs.

Keith let out a choked moan, grinding against him, his heart pounding in his chest at the arousal. He inhaled sharply when Lance moved to trail kisses under his jawline and down his neck, pass the collar of his dress shirt and to the crook of his neck, sucking at sensitive skin. He could care less about the markings those mischievous lips would leave, rather focusing on the now. And in that moment it just felt so unbelievably good.

His nimble hands untied the bowtie around Lance’s neck, desperate to know if the smooth skin that hid underneath tasted as good as it smelled. Keith cupped the brunet’s face and brought it up to press their lips together again, arching his back and deepening the kiss as pleasure took over every neuron in his brain.

It was only by chance that Keith heard the faint ringtone of his phone, barely audible in between all the want and lust in the tiny atmosphere of the stall. At first, he thought he had imagined it, that it was the alcohol in his head that was playing tricks on him, but after hearing it over and over non-stop he realized he was not going crazy after all.

“Wait, wait,” managed to say Keith out of breath, breaking the heated kiss and trying to push Lance away enough to get his cell phone out of his pocket. Instead of giving him space, the brunet groaned in reproach as he moved his lips down his jawline and onto his neck once again. This time, the trail was more like gentle pecks, but still, Keith had to do everything in his power to keep his voice from quivering when he answered the call. “Hello?”

“Fucking finally!” exclaimed the person at the other end in exasperation.

“Pidge,” he heaved into the microphone but didn’t elaborate. With his head gone completely haywire, it was difficult to formulate even the most simple of words. Lance was definitely doing it on purpose, undoubtedly succeeding at keeping him distracted and sending shivers through his skin under his touch. He tried to bite back a moan when the brunet ran his knee closer to his crotch.

“I’ve been trying to reach you,” the girl continued in a loud tone trying to make herself audible through the loud music on her side of the call. “Shiro’s been looking everywhere for you, he wants to take some pictures with you or something. _Where the fuck are you?_ ”

Shoving harder, he finally got Lance to stop and look at him. Even in the dim light and the light-dark shade of his skin, Keith noticed how flushed his cheeks were. The two boys were panting, adrenaline and booze running through their veins and evident desire in their eyes. Keith mentally cursed at his friend for interrupting the moment.

“I, hum...” he elaborated, trying ─and failing─ to think quickly of an excuse, the lingering sensation of Lance’s soft lips against his neck being the only present thought. Finally, he blurted out, “I’m- I’m in the parking lot. Is it urgent?”

“Uh, _yeah?!_ ” stated Pidge as it were the most obvious thing in the world. “I haven’t texted you and called you like a hundred times just for the hell of it! Please come now so I can get your brother off my tail!”

Keith sighed, mostly due to his shortness of breath, but also at the dread of having to leave the warmth of Lance’s arms around him. This was just some perfect timing. With his free hand, he hovered the tip of his fingers over the other boy’s lips, all red and puffed and only inches away from his. It was probably not the best time to get his photo taken, he realized; he most likely had the same disheveled look.

“I-” he tried to formulate, still unsuccessful at forming coherent words. “T-tell him I’m on my way,” and hung up before his friend got the chance to reply.

Both boys never broke eye contact as Keith put his phone away, too entranced and fascinated with one another. They could only stare, inspecting meticulously each and every one of their factions with lust and desire. Keith bit his bottom lip, wanting nothing more but to lose himself once again in the sweet softness of Lance’s thin lips and forget about the dreadful evening even if only for just a few more seconds.

“I have to go...” he whispered with regret, running his thumb slowly over the other boy’s pink cheeks.

Lance gave him his trademark cocky smirk, his eyes regaining their flirtatious spark. “I don’t think so,” he replied, and leaned forward to kiss him again.

Keith chuckled, wishing he could agree with him and give in, but instead pushed him by the chest once more as he turned his head away to get him to stop. If it had been someone else instead of Shiro, Keith wouldn’t have minded making them wait, but tonight was not a good time to get on his brother’s bad side.

“My brother needs me,” he explained.

The brunet groaned and wrapped his arms tighter around Keith’s waist, burying his face on the crook of his neck. “I need you more!”

“C’mon, Lance. I’m serious,” he pleaded, focusing on keeping himself from choking on the words at the ghostly trail of mischievous lips against sensitive skin.

“Fine,” he huffed in defeat, leaning back to give Keith space to fix himself. “But you owe me one last dance before the night’s over, Kogane.”

Keith simply rolled his eyes and scoffed at the statement as he adjusted the knot of his loosened tie. It was hard to fight the urge to answer back, the words already forming in his mouth and ready to be said out loud, but he contained them. Of course, he wanted to have another dance session with Lance ─to have their arms around each other, their bodies pressed together and their hips swaying in perfect sync to the rhythm of the music─, but he was too proud as to give Lance the privilege of being right.

Without saying more, he exited the stall and then the bathroom after verifying there was no one around, and headed back to the party. He caught himself smiling at the thought of what had just happened, and, breathing in and out, tried to return his expression to its usual poker face, concealing all possible emotions. If Pidge caught a glimpse of that tentative smirk he would never hear the end of it.

Keith realized too late as he walked up the stairs toward the event hall that he hadn’t asked Pidge where he should meet her, and wandered aimlessly around trying to spot her mop of red hair. He only caught sight of Matt at the distance, who was most animatedly dancing with a group of people. As he took out his phone to dial his friend, he felt an abrupt tug on his arm, turning him around.

“It’s about time you showed up,” Pidge scolded. There wasn’t anger in her voice, noticed Keith, which struck him as odd given how she had spoken to him over the phone only minutes ago.

“Where’s Shiro?” He asked, putting the device away back in his pocket.

The girl shrugged. “The hell I know. Dancing probably.”

“Didn’t you say he was looking for me?” asked Keith confused.

“I just said that so you’d come out of hiding,” she replied unapologetically, letting out a light chuckle. “If I had told you I wanted some company you would’ve ignored me.”

The boy scoffed and clenched his jaw, trying to swallow down the complaint that was already forming in his mouth. He was pissed; he had fallen right into her trap and had been forced to give up his amazing hook up because she was feeling lonely. Childhood friends be damned; with his horny ass in command, he was not about to forgive her anytime soon.

“If you wanted me to babysit you, the least you could do is pay me.”

“Oh, please,” articulated his friend. “Like you have something better to do. Stop whining.”

Keith huffed. _I actually did._

“What were you doing outside anyway?” commented Pidge. “Were you jogging in the parking lot or something? Your hair’s a mess.”

Immediately, Keith ran his fingers through it in an attempt to comb it. He was glad the room was dark; otherwise, she would have seen him get flustered and wouldn’t have missed at the chance of teasing him even more. Pidge was very observant; she always knew what went on with him even if he didn’t say a word, and it annoyed him that she sometimes used that trait for evil.

The less eye contact he made with her, the better.

“Where’s your table?” he asked, changing the subject as he looked around the room. “I need to sit down.”

Silently, the girl guided him through the labyrinth of round-shaped tables towards the one that had been assigned to her family along with three other guests. To their luck, neither the strangers nor Pidge’s parents were there, relieving them from having to make small-talk. The only occupants were jackets and clutches that had been abandoned so their owners could enjoy themselves without deterrent.

They slumped down on chairs next to each other, and Keith let out a relieved sigh. His feet hurt terribly from all the walking he had done since eight in the morning and all the dancing he had done until just a couple of hours ago in the most uncomfortable dress shoes. He was going to kill Shiro for having made him buy the damn pair; he would have preferred to spend the money on something else and wear his old Chuck Taylor to the wedding. The pain was so great, Keith wouldn’t be at all surprised if his feet turned out to be bleeding.

However, the thought of wanting to go home and end his misery quickly vanished from his mind when he spotted a familiar slim figure dancing enthusiastically with the little Flower Girl only a few feet away from where he and Pidge sat.

Lance’s moves were not as sensual as when the two of them had danced together, of course, but they were just as rhythmic and fluent. The girl’s movements, on the other hand, were not as effortless as his, but she danced with the same vibrant energy. They moved easily around each other as if they had done this in the past, and Keith wondered if they knew one another.

It was something else to watch Lance dance from afar, to watch him behave completely different compared to only minutes before. He seemed carefree, like he was truly having an amazing time and was less interested in making a good impression. What Keith couldn’t help but think about was how on Earth this boy still had the spirit to be out there dancing so vigorously after their probably-hours-long dance session. Keith himself was exhausted.

He suddenly heard Pidge call his name several times, her voice distant, but it was a cloth napkin thrown at his face that brought him back to reality. Had she been speaking this whole time? He hadn’t realized he had been spacing out. Startled, he turned rapidly to face her as he came back to his senses. “What?”

The girl sighed. “I don’t know why I bother,” she grumbled. “Just go back to ignoring me, I’m gonna go get a drink.”

She stood up and walked away before Keith had any time to process what had just happened.

Alone and bored, he dug out his phone in an attempt to entertain himself. There, displayed on the lock screen, were all the notifications of messages Pidge had said she’d sent when they had spoken over the phone. Some texts only had his name on them in lower and uppercase, others asked nicely where he was and some more that asked where the fuck he was, and in between all those there were simply annoyed emoji faces. The most recent notification displayed the number of calls he had missed from Pidge, to which Keith couldn’t believe his eyes.

The last time he remembered having had so many missed calls had been back in high school. He and his then-boyfriend had decided to go around the city after class before going back to the other boy’s home to what had later turned into one of their most memorable nights. The only downside of it all had been that Keith had forgotten to tell his grandmother where he’d be after school, and nearly panicked when he’d seen the twenty times she and Shiro had tried to reach him.

The last time he remembered having had so many missed calls he had been with a boy, too entranced in whatever it was they had been doing to pay attention to the world around him. Very much like now. So he simply kicked himself mentally and unlocked his phone to get rid of all of Pidge’s one-hundred-and-forty-eight messages and twenty-seven missed calls.

“ _Me extrañaste, bonito?_ ” someone suddenly hooted. Keith didn’t really understand what the person had said but raised his head anyway to look where the statement had come from. There, only a few feet away from the table, stood Lance with his hands on his pockets and a side smirk on his lips. “Looking kinda lonely over here…”

Keith scoffed, leaning back on the chair. “I’ve had worse company.”

The brunet chuckled. “Was your brother mad about your disappearance?” he asked, walking toward him and taking the seat Pidge had previously occupied.

“My friend lied to me,” confessed Keith nonchalantly. “Turns out she was the one looking for me. Said she was tired of being alone all night and decided to make that shit about my brother up.”

“Was that the friend you thought was paying me?” inquired Lance, who started laughing when the other nodded. “No wonder you accused me of that! So where is she now?”

“Abandoned me for alcohol.”

Lance clicked his tongue. “ _Que grosera tu amiguita,_ ” he remarked smiling, leaning back as well. “You’re lucky that I saw you then, _un chico tan guapo como tú no debería estar solo._ ”

Had his brain been much less intoxicated, Keith wouldn’t have been too swayed by the foreign words, especially because he didn’t know what they meant. Lance could literally be insulting him in Spanish and he would just be marveled at how amazing the language sounded, completely oblivious and unbothered by the actual meaning.

“You know, you’re a lot hotter than I thought you’d be…”

Now that statement caught Keith completely off guard. He chuckled nervously, “What?”

“Yeah… Allura didn’t really do a very good job describing you… All she said was- Well, she didn’t say much actually,” Lance went on, propping his chin on his hand. “She just mentioned her fiance had a brother about my age who was single.”

His brows came together in a frown, not sure if he was hearing him correctly. “Allura _talked_ to you?” he asked confused.

“Duh!” articulated Lance, making a face at his stupidly obvious question. “Do you know I was supposed to be her Maid of Honor?” He changed the topic abruptly. “I’m her favorite cousin! _Valeria de mierda!_ She was so lucky I-”

Keith could see the brunet's mouth moving like he was still talking, but he had stopped listening a long time ago, his words washing over him like a bucket of cold water. He started to feel short on air as if his tie were limiting the access to his lungs, and was too stunned at what the Lance had just declared that he couldn’t find the right words to cut him off and ask for a clarification. It was as if the room had started spinning around him ─though that not necessarily was only because of the confession.

Allura?! Cousin?! _What?!_

“Excuse me,” blurted Keith out as he stood up, too fast that it caused him to catch his foot on one of the chair’s legs and almost falling down. He gathered himself as quickly as he could, grabbed his phone and walked away, eyes wide and breath uneven because of what he had just heard.

“Hey, wait!” called Lance after him, but Keith was far and out of the room without a second thought, not looking back even once.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song Lance and Keith dance to at the beginning is Andrea Bocelli’s cover of [Bésame Mucho](https://open.spotify.com/track/13jz1lkCQ7plJmIfaMlQ2F?si=B-PDB6KmTmi5koHhD_uRxg). I fell in love with this cover since the first time I heard it, it’s just so beautiful.  
>  _Me extrañaste, bonito?_ — > Missed me, pretty boy?  
>  _Que grosera tu amiguita_ — > That little friend of yours is rude  
>  _un chico tan guapo como tú no debería estar solo_ — > a hottie like yourself shouldn’t be alone  
>  _Valeria de mierda_ — > Damn Valerie  
> Disclaimer: I’m not a translator. I’m only a bilingual Latina making a rough interpretation of what this lines might translate to in English.
> 
> 8.4k words!! Wow, I had honestly never written something this long, I almost died in the process lmao. I’m kinda proud of myself, though. Especially for not quitting.  
> Anyway, comments are always welcome! Let me know what you guys think :)
> 
>  
> 
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/pmpc96), [tumblr](http://trashxnebula.tumblr.com/)

**Author's Note:**

> Also, we might change the name of the fic and I have to do some basic editing of the HTML in here but I hope we can fix that soon... Expect the first chapter soon too!!
> 
> Our Tumblr: [@milk-hooney (Lulu)](http://milk-hooney.tumblr.com/) and [@trashxnebula (Paula)](http://trashxnebula.tumblr.com/)


End file.
